Unite Against Fascism Scotland is disgusted to announce that the poisonous nazi rump called the National Front intend to come to Edinburgh city centre on 25 March to hold a national, racist, ‘White Pride March’.

The National Front are a pale shadow of what they were in the 1970s, when they achieved 100,000s of votes in elections and represented a real threat to black, Asian and other minorities on the streets.

Consistent and united work by organisations like the Anti-Nazi League, UAF and others over the past decades have ensured this tiny and vicious group of fascists do not represent the force they once did.

However, emboldened by election events in Austria, by Le Pen’s polling in France, by Islamophobic Geert Wilders in the Netherlands and by the influence of white nationalists in Donald Trump’s team, the little Hitlers feel confident they can come to the streets of our multicultural city. These fascists want to emulate fascist Jobbik in Hungary or Golden Dawn in Greece; we will not let them.

Edinburgh has a fine tradition of stopping racists and Nazis. Should the National Front decide to step foot in Edinburgh, we call upon all anti-fascists to take part in the broadest, united mobilisation.

UAF Scotland has a long history of ensuring that fascists do not get a toe-hold in our communities. Only recently, anti-fascists ensured that the nazi Blood and Honour gig was cancelled in Scotland due to mass opposition.

We won’t stand for their racism, their Islamophobia, their scapegoating of migrants and refugees. We will push them back like we did with the Scottish Defence League, the English Defence League and the British National Party.

UAF oppose any attempts by racists and nazis to organise here and will work with others to seek the biggest united mobilisation that we can to let these thugs know they are not welcome. We call upon anti-fascists, pro-refugee organisations, political parties, trade unions, community organisations, to come together to oppose the Nazi National Front.

Margaret Woods, spokesperson for Unite Against Fascism Scotland, said, ‘The Nazi National Front were stopped by the mass movements that were Rock Against Racism and the Anti Nazi League, in the late 1970s. Their poison grew again in the SDL and BNP. But UAF and others have blocked their path. Edinburgh has no place for such fascists and racists. Every generation has to find a way, to stop such odious scapegoating. Mainstream politicians across Europe have through their Islamophobia and attacks on refugees, created opportunities for fascists to grow.

However, the fascists are small in the UK as anti fascists have been on guard. UAF Scotland stands with all who oppose fascism and their engine of racism. We encourage all to say Nae Nazis on our streets.’

Unite Against Fascism Scotland are supporting the March Against Racism demonstration in Glasgow on Saturday 18 March 2017. The demonstration is supported by the STUC and a number of major trade unions, community groups and refugee and migrant rights organisations. Demonstrations will also take place in London and Cardiff on the same day.